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10-09-2013, 12:12 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: East Bay CA
Posts: 1,078
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The search for the Death Valley Germans
I suppose some of you have probably read this, since it's been mentioned a bunch on Expedition Portal, but it was new to me and hasn't been mentioned here. It's a fascinating read about a fellow's search for a missing German family that started in the nineties and ended thirteen years later. Now part of the lore of DVNP.
Check it out: http://www.otherhand.org/home-page/sear ... y-germans/
__________________
2001 Ford E250 Sportsmobile with Salem-Kroger 4x4 conversion
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10-09-2013, 12:28 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Southern New Mexico
Posts: 10,179
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Re: The search for the Death Valley Germans
__________________
SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
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10-16-2013, 10:04 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Turlock Ca
Posts: 10,409
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Re: The search for the Death Valley Germans
I read both DV stories earlier this year and although captivating, the German story was truly a sad one. I looked up the area on Google Earth.
Looks similar anyway.
Quite the walk at that time of year if this is the correct area.
__________________
2006 Ford 6.0PSD EB-50/E-PH SMB 4X4 Rock Crawler Trailer
Sportsmobile 4X4 Adventures.......... On and off road adventures
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10-16-2013, 11:33 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,716
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Re: The search for the Death Valley Germans
I'm lazy. Does anyone have cliff notes for this story?
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10-17-2013, 05:57 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,243
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Re: The search for the Death Valley Germans
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ocsmb
I'm lazy. Does anyone have cliff notes for this story?
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I'm lazy too, but take the time to read it. It's worth it. You won't be disappointed.
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10-17-2013, 07:51 AM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Southern New Mexico
Posts: 10,179
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Re: The search for the Death Valley Germans
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ocsmb
I'm lazy. Does anyone have cliff notes for this story?
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Bottom line: Completely ill-prepared tourists venture into the desert and die, and to make it much worse, young children were part of the group.
I absolutely agree with 86 Scotty that it's well worth the read, especially as it is well written, and maybe it will remind people who read it to not underestimate the backcountry, let alone a very, very harsh desert.
Herb
__________________
SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
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10-17-2013, 07:33 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: East Bay CA
Posts: 1,078
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Re: The search for the Death Valley Germans
A coupla other bullet points:
Inyo Co Sheriff: yikes.
Don't go hiking off from your vehicle (cf the James Kim story in Oregon; equally awful).
Don't trust GPS mapping (he references the death of someone who was misdirected into this same general area). I had reported a similar problem with a road listed in Google maps that would be presented as a way into Carrizo Nat Mon; not so much a problem if you were going in cuz of a locked gate you hit right away. But if you were going out you'd be led on an increasinly sketchy road till you got stuck and died. Or at least got majorly inconvenienced. I reported it April 30th 2013 and got this back May 9th:
"Hi Rob,
Your Google Maps problem report has been reviewed, and you were right!"
Yesterday I got an email from Google saying it had been fixed...but it hasn't. Go to Google Maps and type in "Selby Campground, Selby Rd, CA 93254" and then get directions to say Santa Maria. It'll route you on a closed road that the monument says is often 4x4 or 4x4 iffy wet. AND there's a locked gate at the intersection with 166. The monument's web page advises against using google and other services for routing for this reason. Maybe if you guys complain as well.
__________________
2001 Ford E250 Sportsmobile with Salem-Kroger 4x4 conversion
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10-17-2013, 08:58 PM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Turlock Ca
Posts: 10,409
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Re: The search for the Death Valley Germans
Quote:
Originally Posted by BroncoHauler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ocsmb
I'm lazy. Does anyone have cliff notes for this story?
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Bottom line: Completely ill-prepared tourists venture into the desert and die, and to make it much worse, young children were part of the group.
I absolutely agree with 86 Scotty that it's well worth the read, especially as it is well written, and maybe it will remind people who read it to not underestimate the backcountry, let alone a very, very harsh desert.
Herb
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Then there is the other DV story about the guy who decided to end his life by walking off from Badwater.
I agree about using GPS units as a sure thing. I think in the other thread I posted about the elderly folks who tried to get to Kings Canyon from Pine Flat lake. At first I thought it was locals who knew more about the area than me. Not! It was their GPS leading them into a trail that was not car friendly.
Anyway all of the Otherhand.org postings are worth a look.
__________________
2006 Ford 6.0PSD EB-50/E-PH SMB 4X4 Rock Crawler Trailer
Sportsmobile 4X4 Adventures.......... On and off road adventures
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10-17-2013, 11:29 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,716
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Re: The search for the Death Valley Germans
Quote:
Originally Posted by daveb
Quote:
Originally Posted by BroncoHauler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ocsmb
I'm lazy. Does anyone have cliff notes for this story?
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Bottom line: Completely ill-prepared tourists venture into the desert and die, and to make it much worse, young children were part of the group.
I absolutely agree with 86 Scotty that it's well worth the read, especially as it is well written, and maybe it will remind people who read it to not underestimate the backcountry, let alone a very, very harsh desert.
Herb
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Then there is the other DV story about the guy who decided to end his life by walking off from Badwater.
I agree about using GPS units as a sure thing. I think in the other thread I posted about the elderly folks who tried to get to Kings Canyon from Pine Flat lake. At first I thought it was locals who knew more about the area than me. Not! It was their GPS leading them into a trail that was not car friendly.
Anyway all of the Otherhand.org postings are worth a look.
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Is that about the UFC fighter?
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10-17-2013, 11:34 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,716
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Re: The search for the Death Valley Germans
Quote:
Originally Posted by 86Scotty
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ocsmb
I'm lazy. Does anyone have cliff notes for this story?
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I'm lazy too, but take the time to read it. It's worth it. You won't be disappointed.
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I just read the whole thing from start to finish. Thanks for the words of encouragement. Well written, riveting and ultimately extremely sad. Gives me the chills just imagining for a split second what it would feel like had that been me and my family stranded out there.
No solo desert trips for me!!! Meaning, Ill only go if there's at least one other more capable rig.
Btw - speaking from complete ignorance, what is the allure of the desert unless there is some amazing (subjective of course) feature/monument/etc.
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